# Geographic disorient (lost) - Type: NTSB finding subsection - Path: [Personnel issues](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02) › [Psychological](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/0202) › [Perception/orientation/illusion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/020220) › Geographic disorient (lost) - NTSB code: 02022030 - Cases: 27 - In the probable cause: 25 - Fatal cases: 7 - All cases: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md - Cases with it in the probable cause: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030/cases.md?cause=1 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022030 ## Cases per year (in the probable cause / all) - 2008: 3 / 3 - 2009: 2 / 3 - 2010: 1 / 1 - 2011: 3 / 3 - 2012: 1 / 1 - 2015: 3 / 4 - 2016: 2 / 2 - 2017: 4 / 4 - 2018: 1 / 1 - 2019: 1 / 1 - 2020: 1 / 1 - 2021: 1 / 1 - 2022: 1 / 1 - 2025: 1 / 1 ## Defining events in these cases - [Fuel exhaustion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/192): 6 cases - [Controlled flight into terr/obj (CFIT)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/120): 4 cases - [Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096): 3 cases - [Collision during takeoff/land](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/490): 2 cases - [Loss of visual reference](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/402): 2 cases - [VFR encounter with IMC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/401): 2 cases - [Electrical system malf/failure](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/332): 2 cases - [Abrupt maneuver](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/270): 2 cases - [Miscellaneous/other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/900): 1 cases - [Off-field or emergency landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/440): 1 cases ## Aircraft models (registry) - [Schweizer SGS 2-33A](https://openairdocs.org/model/schweizer-sgs-2-33a): 1 cases - [Piper PA-22-108](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-22-108): 1 cases - [Maule M-6-235](https://openairdocs.org/model/maule-m-6-235): 1 cases - [I.C.A.-Brasov IS-28B2](https://openairdocs.org/model/i-c-a-brasov-is-28b2): 1 cases - [Hughes Helicopters HUGHES 369D](https://openairdocs.org/model/hughes-helicopters-hughes-369d): 1 cases - [Grumman American Avn. AA-5A](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-american-avn-aa-5a): 1 cases - [Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40](https://openairdocs.org/model/diamond-aircraft-ind-da-40): 1 cases - [Dehavilland DHC-3](https://openairdocs.org/model/dehavilland-dhc-3): 1 cases - [Cirrus Design SR20](https://openairdocs.org/model/cirrus-design-sr20): 1 cases - [Cessna T210L](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-t210l): 1 cases ## Other findings in the same cases - [Dark](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03036020) (Environmental issues): 10 cases - [Decision making/judgment](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041520) (Personnel issues): 8 cases - [Aircraft control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063040) (Personnel issues): 6 cases - [Fuel](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071010) (Aircraft): 6 cases - [Tree(s)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022020) (Environmental issues): 4 cases - [Situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035) (Personnel issues): 4 cases - [Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface, general](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03023000) (Environmental issues): 3 cases - [Mountainous/hilly terrain](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03021010) (Environmental issues): 3 cases - [Pole](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/03022010) (Environmental issues): 2 cases - [Use of charts](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02063025) (Personnel issues): 2 cases ## Newest cases - [NTSB ERA25LA199](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA25LA199), May 8, 2025: Cessna 182A (N174A), Ocala, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to depart on the flight with known electrical issues and his subsequent loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his eventual decision to perform an… - [NTSB ERA22LA326](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA22LA326), Jul 10, 2022: Schweizer SGS 2-33A (N3616Q), Waynesville, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s loss of situational awareness (geographic position), which resulted in his inability to locate the intended landing runway and his decision to perform an off-airport landing. - [NTSB CEN21LA156](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN21LA156), Mar 9, 2021: Cessna 170 (N9515A), Poplar Bluff, MO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to make a precautionary landing in a field that contained soft terrain, which resulted in the airplane nosing over. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly… - [NTSB ERA20CA300](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA20CA300), Aug 30, 2020: Cessna 182 (N3707U), Millington, MD, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s misidentification of a corn field for the destination airport’s runway, and a subsequent aerodynamic stall at low altitude while attempting to land. - [NTSB ANC19FA029](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ANC19FA029), Jun 29, 2019: Maule M6 (N56512), Moose Pass, AK, substantial damage, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's geographic disorientation and his exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack while maneuvering to avoid mountainous terrain, resulting in an aerodynamic stall. - [NTSB GAA18CA095](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA095), Jan 2, 2018: Cessna 150 (N3229V), Nampa, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s geographic disoriention during a night flight, which resulted in an off-airport landing. - [NTSB GAA18CA073](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA073), Dec 8, 2017: Brock Steiner Sport Copter Vortex (N395SC), Spanish Fork, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s failure to maintain situational and geographic awareness during the flight, which resulted in him becoming lost and exhausting the gyroplane’s fuel. - [NTSB GAA18CA069](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/GAA18CA069), Dec 2, 2017: Weaver David A Pulsar 912XP (N912GR), Plato Center, IL, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue to land without visual reference to the airport in low light conditions. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inability to activate the private airport’s… - [NTSB CEN18LA014](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA014), Oct 17, 2017: Diamond Aircraft Ind DA 40 (N105MK), Gustavus, OH, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s geographic disorientation while maneuvering in the airport traffic pattern in dark night conditions, which resulted in the airplane descending below a normal approach path and a collision… - [NTSB WPR17FA101](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR17FA101), May 8, 2017: Icon A5 (N184BA), Lake Berryessa, CA, substantial damage, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from terrain while maneuvering at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's mistaken entry into a canyon surrounded by steep rising… NTSB has coded findings and defining events since 2008; earlier cases used its older occurrence and cause codes and aren't counted. Findings: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings.md. Defining events: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events.md. Phases of flight: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases.md. Every investigation, filtered by finding, event, phase, state, year or model: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb.md (for example ?state=MI&fatal=1). NTSB's definitions: Accident and incident, 49 CFR 830.2 (https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-49/subtitle-B/chapter-VIII/part-830/subpart-A/section-830.2), CICTT occurrence categories (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/OccurrenceCategoryDefinitions.pdf), CICTT phases of flight (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/safety/data/Documents/datafiles/PhaseofFlightDefinitions.pdf), and NTSB coding manual, before 2008 (PDF) (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). NTSB publishes no definitions for its findings, only their names. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.